We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Kandice Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Kandice below.

Dr. Kandice, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I want to build a legacy of time and financial freedom for my family. I want my children and loved ones to experience a life of abundance with the freedom to use their time however they choose to do so. After I am gone, I think people will say that I was innovative and helpful. I hope to be remembered for thinking outside of the box and creating things that didn’t exist. I want to be remembered for my successful businesses, but it’s more important that I be remembered for helping others to be successful as well.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in the small town of Union, SC. We didn’t have many technological resources, but I was always fascinated with technology. After high school, I decided to attend the University of South Carolina (USC) and major in Information Technology (IT). It was during my time at USC that I discovered my true love for IT. I knew that whatever career I chose, it needed to involve something related to technology. I had several jobs related to IT after college, then I decided to teach IT classes on the high school and college levels. I found my purpose while teaching IT and business classes. I enjoyed finding new and different resources for my students so that I could effectively teach them real-world tech skills.

What are you most proud of?

During my time teaching Computer Repair and Service classes, I discovered that many students learn better when given the opportunity to work hands-on with technology. This is when I realized that students and working adults could benefit from a business that offered virtual reality (VR) training. So, this is when I decided to open a VR arcade and training facility named Quantum VR Lounge. At my business, younger kids and adults can play VR games but they can also participate in hands-on jobs skills training for careers such as HVAC, plumbing, dentistry, nursing, and others. This business concept helps individuals to gain skills they need to enter the workforce while also helping the local community.

I am most proud about starting this business from the ground up. There aren’t many minority women who own VR arcades, so I am honored to be in the minority. I’m also proud of the market research that I conducted to get started and make this dream business a reality. I was able to do all of this while still fighting stage 4 breast cancer. I lost my mother to the same disease a few years ago, so it was important for me to finish this project in her honor.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After working in IT for years, I learned that it was not my passion to work in a hands-on IT role on a daily basis. I enjoyed IT, but I did not like having to troubleshoot tech issues each day. I also experienced discrimination as being a black women in a tech role. So, I decided that it wasn’t for me. While working in IT, I realized that the part of the job I enjoyed the most was teaching others about the technology. At that point, I had to make a pivot with my career. I decided to leave my tech role and teach IT classes to college students. I absolutely loved it! I felt refreshed and felt like I was making more of an impact. It wasn’t an easy transition, but I made the change and never looked back. I’m happy that I made that decision to make the career change.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I wouldn’t consider myself an expert with social media, but I do know the basics. I built my audience on social media just from being consistent. I post on different social media platforms everyday. I also research the latest trends and music for my target audience so that I can post meaningful content for my followers. My advice to those just starting to build the social media presence is to do research on your target audience and to be consistent and accessible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://quantumvrlounge.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kandi2k3/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kandices3/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kandices/